Brown Eyes
by Minealoneedward
Summary: Her brown eyes filled with pain became his salvation.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Happy New year all of you. Let's start a new year with a new story. Worry not I am working on the next chapter od Dangerous attraction. i will post in on sunday.**

Prologue

The creatures of the night could see a boy in his late teens pace the edge of the cliff behind the moderate-sized house. He would, from time to time, look upon the house. He was waiting for all the lights to turn off so that he could sneak in.

He was not a thief trying to steal anything. On the contrary, he was richer than most people in town.

Not rich enough, apparently...

The boy was considered quite handsome and was one of the most eligible bachelor in their small town, known to the outer world as Forks. He was 6 feet 2 inches, with hair as black as coal and eyes equally as dark.

He was indeed handsome.

But it mattered not. Because for all he was worth, he couldn't save the one person who mattered to him the most.

His precious Bella.

He stopped pacing as the dread he had been trying to ignore finally reared its ugly head and his legs gave out. He was impotent at this moment-unable to do anything but watch as the innocent girl is either hanged on the gallows or thrown to the vultures.

If it had been one hundred gold coins he would have been able to save her. Five hundred gold coins, however, were way over his limit. He just didn't have that much on him. Not even if he were to sell everything he owns.

"I apologize for not being able to save you. I am sorry for not being the knight you always thought I am."

Their fathers had been childhood friends and he was always at her house. They had long been friends before the dreadful curse fell on Bella, isolating a mere child of five from the world.

He was forbidden to meet Bella. However, unknown to all, he would sneak around to meet her when everyone would be otherwise occupied. As he grew, he would sneak in the dark to talk to her even if there had been bars of steel between them.

Jacob Black, or Jake as Bella would call him, looked away from the house to gaze up at the sky filled with stars twinkling in the night.

For the first time since his mother died, Jake prayed. He prayed to the Almighty his mother had worshipped-the one he had turned his back on after his mother left this earth. Jake had promised himself that he would never ever ask Him for anything. Still, for Bella he was willing to break any promise.

"Lord in Heaven, please send her the savior she desperately needs."

The moment those words left his mouth, the sky opened up and poured water on the vulnerable man indicating that he had been heard.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Before reading this chapter, keep in mind that this is a fictional story in a fictional world. All rules are made up in my mind.**

The bright sun of noon glared at the gathering around the gallows, causing sweat to roll down their neck, forehead, and back. The heat may be the constant source of discomfort to the folks of Forks but the scenery before them was too juicy to miss.

After today, they would finally be freed from the witch who had been the source of evil in their small town for the last twelve years.

Everyone failed to notice, or more accurately choose to ignore, the fact that the said witch has only spent the seventeen summers on this earth. Or the glaring truth that she had been imprisoned in her own house for the past twelve years.

The so-called witch stood behind the gallows with her head hanging low, her eyes filled with tears, and a small resigned yet content smile on her lips.

Resigned for she knew that she would not see another day but content for she got to bask in sunlight after twelve long years.

Sunlight was not powerful enough to penetrate the thick walls and high ventilated windows of her prison.

The folks of Forks use the name witch to associate with her but her Christian name was Isabella. Isabella meant beautiful but she was anything but.

It wasn't that the Lord above did not make her pretty. She might have even been if she was given proper nourishment, hygiene, and hydration. Or if she wasn't stuck with the curse-what the town dwellers call it, for they could not come up with any other reasoning.

Isabella clenched her hands into fists. The skin of her hand exposed to the extreme heat of the sun cause another round of its constant itchiness and the strong, familiar urge to scratch started to consume her.

She was told by the mistress of her house, her stepmother, that she was not to show her vile habits to the crowd if she did not wish to die a painful death.

She had been through enough pain in her short life.

Her dress was tattered-enough to cover her modestly but not enough to cover the bane of her existence. She could see the top of her feet, the flaky skin, red with irritation and crusting rashes.

She covered the back of her right hand with her left but more tears fell from her eyes as the back of her left hand was exposed for everyone to witness. The back of her hands were worse than the top her feet.

The blood has caked on the top of her raised skin, the product of her last night's scratching. She knew that everyone loathed the sight of her skin. Her stepmother never lost a chance to remind her that.

She was evil and this was her punishment.

She had been the reason for the death of her mother and only she had been the reason for her father's death.

Her mother had died because she was too weak to bore the evil that was Isabella. Her father had died because even when he had been warned not to, he let her skin come in contact with hers.

It was all her fault.

And today she was going to pay for her sins. The gallows were waiting for her for she knew that her evil is too great to be forgiven.

It was believed in her town that riches were for the people who had the heart of the gold-those who were blessed with God's blessing. Only the man who was willing to give five hundred gold coins to her stepmother and marry the witch had the right and privilege to forgive all her sins.

Isabella barely lifted her eyelashes, hopeful that she would be able to see her best friend before she was hanged. She knew that no one would find it in their heart to forgive her, nor did she deserve it.

Jacob was standing in the front row, his posture rigid and his face blank but Isabella could see the torment that was swirling in his eyes. He was helpless to help her and they both knew it.

She was shoved forward roughly with the end of the stick and she stumbled toward the gallows. She stared at the rope in front of it and closed her eyes. She found the happy place inside her, the world her father had created with his stories in which she was rescued by the prince who would sweep her off her feet and away from the hateful stares and whispers of the people of Forks.

Until now, she has been protected by the her father. He had refused to sacrifice his daughter no matter how much the church and his second wife forced him. Yes, he was helpless when it came to her health and abode but her life was his to decide as he was the man of the house.

No one knew this but sometimes, he would come to meet her in the darkness of the night and she was gifted with pleasure of stories even if there were bars of steel between them.

She opened her eyes and smiled sadly for she knew no prince would come to rescue her. She was ordered to wind the noose around her neck for no one was ready to come anywhere near her. Without any question, she did what was asked.

A man at the edge of the forest absorbed it all with a passive look on his face but inside his head, a war was taking place. His bronze hair seemed like a golden halo in the sunlight and the green of his eyes seemed to dull the greenness of the forest behind him.

He was here just to buy the necessary supplies he needed but something in the way the girl held herself pulled the strings of his dead heart. He shook his head at the absurd notion that had started to form in his head.

He had promised himself that he would not marry.

It had been just weeks he had arrived in this village, running away from his past but he was very much aware of what the custom was here.

His eyes widen when he saw that the man at the gallows was about the pull the lever.

He had to act fast.

"Halt, this very moment."

Every eye turn to look at him including the girl whose eyes held years of pain and loneliness. Those very same eyes made him say the next words.

"I, Edward Masen, agree to take Isabella Swan as my wife and pay the amount of five hundred gold coins to Madam Sue Swan."


	3. Chapter 3

Everything was dead silent before a wave of soft murmuring started and then it changed into one voice of protest. There was only one thought in the mind of the denizens of Forks. They had spent the past twelve years waiting for this very moment, the moment they would finally get rid of this witch. And this man, who had only been in this town for several months, just barge in and save this evil creature.

There were harsh words spoken against the man with green eyes but all Isabella heard were her father's words.

"My little Bellsy, it is time for me to leave this earth but remember that I will never leave you unprotected. When I will meet the High One, I will demand that he sends your prince your way. He will be an angel that will protect you when I am no longer can."

Isabella closed her eyes. A wave of pain passed through her body as the last memory of her father flickered through her mind. She knew without an ounce of doubt that this was the angel her father had sent for her to save her and to love her.

For as long as she could remember, today was the first time she had seen a forest. She had been amazed at the beauty before her-the greenery is almost blinding with its beauty. But that was nothing compared to the green of his eyes, visible even from this distance.

He was an angel she had heard about from Jacob. He was the beauty her friend would describe un-earthly.

Her savior's eyes left her and she immediately felt the loss of them. Only now she realized the safety she had felt in them.

The person, who had addressed himself as Edward Masen, looked the high priest in the eyes and dared him to argue or deny his request. He could see the anger in priest's eyes but there was simply nothing the priest could do about the situation he had found himself under.

There was a war ragging inside priest's head. Although he wanted to get rid of this witch that had been plaguing his town for the last seventeen years, he could not deny the request of this man as he was by the law.

The priest sighed, feeling like he had swallowed something sour before he gave a nod of consent. Silence fell upon the on-lookers when they saw the motion of the priest's head. Protest was bubbling inside everyone but none was brave enough to protest. Heads turned to each other, willing the others to protest.

James Hunter was not one to be smothered. Hence, he was the one who raised his voice in protest instead of just sending glares toward Edward Masen.

"You cannot allow this, father. Our farms are already plagued with deadly insects just because she had been residing here. She deserves to be burned. It was the goodness of our heart that we were just hanging her. This needs to stop."

Nods of agreement followed but still no one dared to second him, verbally.

The priest looked like he wanted nothing more than to do as he was told but he had few rules to follow. He did the only thing he could think of doing at that moment. He turned to the man, who had been standing at the corner looking at everything with a passive face.

Jasper Whitlock was considered one of the most powerful men in Forks. He was the one who oversaw the smooth ongoing of the town in the absence of Lord Cullen. He was also Lord Cullen's second son-in-law, the first being Emmett McCarty, currently absent from the crowd.

Every eye fell on Lord Whitlock but he was unaware. Maybe he didn't care of the fact as his own eyes were on the man who had just disturbed the peace of this town with just few words from his mouth.

The war of wits or maybe something deeper silently begins between the two men with equally powerful personalities. Everyone waited with baited breath for the Lord Whitlock to deny the unreasonable and deadly request of Edward Masen.

"Very Well! Mister Masen. If you can arrange to pay the five hundred gold coins to Mistress Swan before the sun sets this evening. Then I shall allow you to marry Isabella Swan."

The lack of the title with the name wasn't lost on anyone.

Unbelievable!

The statement finally broke the wall containing the protest but a raise of Lord Jasper's hand silenced all.

Edward Masen gave a nod and demanded.

"The coins will be delivered in the allotted time but I shall have your word that no harm will come on her until then. By the law, I also demand that she is to be addressed with proper title and given the required request once we are wed. "

Everyone waited with baited breath for Lord Whitlock to deny this pompous demand.

Jasper Whitlock closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he once again opened his eyes. His eyes once again found Mister Masen and he nodded.

"Very well, Mister Masen. I, Lord Jasper Whitlock, pledge that no harm will come her until you return with the promised amount."

Edward Masen kept looking at Lord Jasper to find any hind of deception and nodded only when he found none.

He tried to turn but stopped when she saw the confused and pained face of his betrothed. Her eyes were nothing special-just an ordinary shade of brown-but the pure innocence and pain in them made them the most beautiful eyes in the world.

"Don't you dare look into my eyes."

The voice her stepmother ran in her eyes and Isabella lowered her eye on the floor, remembering the beating she had received seven summers back when she had made the mistake of looking into her step-mother's eyes. She missed the painful look that crossed Edward's face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter:

Isabella swayed on her feet as she followed Lord Jasper's horse toward his manor. She had never walked for that long. There wasn't enough space in that room of hers to roam on.

She had never been allowed to step out of those four walls.

"We are here, Miss Swan."

Lord Jasper's voice brought Bella out of her musing but it took her a few minutes for to realize that he was addressing her. No one had ever addressed her as Miss Swan-it was always Isabella or witch. But now, Lord Jasper-who was the most powerful of that time according to her friend Jacob-was calling her with respect. Just because Mister Masen had agreed to marry her.

He was already protecting her. He had already saved her.

The door burst open and a beautiful lady stepped out, her face set in a grim look.

"Jasper, is it true? Is it true that a man has agreed to marry that witch?"

Isabella didn't even flinch when the beautiful woman called her a witch. For as long as she remembers, this has been her second name. She was just shocked by the tone of her voice. It was strong and determined.

"Mary Alice! Have you forgotten how a lady should behave?"

The woman looked shocked before a chagrined look appeared on her face.

"Forgive me, sir!"

Lord Whitlock dismounted his horse and nodded his head in acceptance toward the lady.

"This is Miss Isabella Swan and she would be staying here until Mister Masen can arrange for the coins he had promised to give to her mother."

Lady Mary Alice Whitlock, the younger daughter of Carlisle Cullen and wife of Lord Jasper Whitlock, finally noticed the girl that has been standing behind her husband, a good distance between. The girl had her eyes lowered and she seemed to be trembling. Alice knew it was not from the cold as it was the middle of the afternoon.

She took a step back when she saw the inflammation of girl's neck, hands and feet, the blood caked over them. She was horrified.

"She...she..."

Lady Mary Alice stammered and looked at her husband in horror.

"Yes, she is the woman who was about to be hanged today."

Isabella knew Lord Whitlock had said this to be polite but she could not control a small tear from escaping her left eye. She didn't know why her face had turned warm and she wanted to disappear from that place.

She tried her best to stop more tears from escaping but she failed.

"Miss Swan, please follow me!"

Lady Whitlock was still standing there, gaping at her husband, stunned and terrified. Her husband was inviting this witch into her house.

Isabella heard clearly what he had said and when she slightly lifted her eyes off the dirt rood. She saw through blurred vision as Lord Jasper made his way toward the entrance of the house, her face turned confused.

Why was he telling her to enter his house through the front entrance?

"Why…Why are you still standing here?"

Lady Alice stammered at her question, fearful that the timid-looking girl everyone had claimed was an evil witch under the cover of innocence. She still hadn't moved away from her place at the front door.

Isabella's eyes once again fell on the floor and she just shook her head.

Lord Jasper turned once he heard her wife's question and saw the negative emotion of Isabella. His eyes narrowed and he once again felt his anger spiking. This woman has done nothing but be distressed, and no one had any idea how much.

"Why?"

His wife asked and for once he was thankful for his eyes and curious mind.

They waited with growing impatience as Isabella gathered her courage. Once she felt brave enough, she whispered, her voice hardly audible.

"Mistress Swan had told me this morning that the evil person like me should never be allowed to go anywhere near the front entrance of the house. It is inauspicious."

Isabella was rather proud of herself when she didn't stammer even once.

Lady and Lord Whitlock were stunned at her words. They had no idea how to respond. They were silent for some time with only sounds of sniffles coming from the fragile girl standing outside of Cullen manor.

Lady Mary Alice (or Alice as her husband called her) kept looking at the wisp of the girl before her, the one who was supposed to be a witch. Her eyes followed the details of her body as her face was turned down. She kept looking as the girl lifted her left hand to scratch the back of her right, causing more blood to ooze out.

Her face scrounged into a grimace at the scene when another thought suddenly popped into her head.

If this girl really was a witch, she would have been able to cure herself. After all, weren't witches supposed to be powerful?

Was she really a witch?

Alice had always been proud of her intelligence and to see facts in spite of being a woman. And her instincts, a woman's most powerful and helpful weapon, were telling her that this girl in front of her was not what everyone thought she is.

And what of that Man, Mister Masen? Had he not agreed to marry her and give an amount of five hundred gold coins to her mother to save her? Even her husband, who was a Lord himself had taken dowry from her father in exchange of marrying her and here was a man who had agreed to give a dowry, more or less, for her.

Had this man seen something others had refused to?

She got her answer a minute later when Isabella got the courage to look up, worried she had angered Lord and Lady Whitlock.

The moment Lady Mary Alice looked into Isabella's eyes; she knew that the girl with tattered clothes, inflamed and scarred skin was not what everyone blamed her to be.

She was not a witch.

She was just a girl, whose misfortune was to be born in this time with this disease.

The moment Isabella saw Lady Mary Alice looking at her; she once again dropped her eyes on the floor. What had she done? She had seen the look of anger and displeasure on her step-mother's face, hence she was familiar with that emotion but the look on Lady Whitlock's face was unrecognizable.

She was going to be killed and her angel was not here to save her.

"Are you really a witch?"

Isabella was not shocked but confused by the question Lady Alice had just asked her. Of course she was. Her stepmother had never missed the opportunity to tell her just that.

"Mary Alice!"

Lord Jasper bellowed, stunned and disturbed by his wife's rude questioning. Isabella flinched from the anger that was present in Lord Whitlock's voice but Alice didn't even let us eyes stray from Isabella.

"Are you, Miss Swan? Please answer me."

Please? No one have ever used this word, when conversing with her except Jacob and only once. That was the only reason she even knew the meaning of this word.

Fresh tears filled her eyes and she wished she was back in her room where she did not have to question everything she did. She had her corner there, where she used to shed tears, away from everyone.

It was her place of comfort and it had been rudely snatched away from her.

When she had left that room, her prison, her home of last twelve years, she had the comfort of knowing that she would soon meet her mother and father but now everything was blurred.

She felt so confused and alone here. Everything was so foreign she had no idea how she was supposed to behave, what was she supposed to say, and what was expected of her.

Lord Jasper wanted nothing more than to put a stop to his wife's questioning but something stopped him from interrupting. He had a feeling that the answer to this question was very important to her.

Lady Alice took a few steps toward the girl stopped when there was few feet between them. There were two reasons behind her decision to stop. One she was still skeptical about this girl and second she did not want to scare the already frightened girl.

Isabella knew she had to answer now. She remembered what happened when she did not do as she was asked to do.

"I..I must be...There must be lots of evil inside me that is why God has cursed me with this body."

Alice closed her eyes, her very soul deeply hurt, not because of the words this girl had uttered. No it was the pain, helplessness and acceptance in those brown eyes that deeply sliced Alice's heart, which convinced her.

This girl was nothing but innocent.

Instincts told Alice that only the corporal punishment would make this girl enter the house through the front gate.

"You may enter through the back door." 


End file.
